This might produce a flood of negative feedback, but I have to be honest: this game is the Comix Zone of the Dreamcast. To interpolate somebody else's Comix Zone review, this game gets an A for aesthetics, an A+ for concept, a A for its soundtrack, a C for general execution, and a big fat F for controls - which is unfortunately the most important part of this kind of game. I don't think it's a coincidence that JSRF is essentially just a remake of this game in a slightly different setting: they knew they could do it better, and they did. Definitely worth checking out for the historical value, but if you want to play a good video game, JSRF is the way to go.

If there's one truth about pop culture trends, it's that they don't age well. It takes something incredibly special to actually last, and I was surprised to see that Jet Set Radio somehow pulled it off. Even though it's steeped in the extreme sports and bright colors of the early 2000’s, it remains timeless by weaving their basic appeal into a holistic game design. The developers knew that a sense of speed and flow was something that could appeal to anyone, so they designed the maps to wordlessly facilitate such an experience, with networks of corridors smoothly feeding into each other. If players can recognize how different paths link, momentum can be transferred gracefully as they navigate to each objective. With the goal being to recognize optimal paths, having small maps that the Dreamcast could handle didn’t feel like a limitation at all, and instead a smart choice to facilitate a smooth skating experience. The bright cel-shaded art style also let the developers squeeze a lot of power out of the hardware, so going fast and spinning the camera around wouldn’t be a problem at all. With it being so well-engineered, the only gripe I can think of is how the game can feel pretty bad before you get to the starting point of that design: moving at high speed. Getting moving from a dead stop takes a long time, and the imprecise nature of moving on wheels means the smallest momentum-killing mistakes feel like a slap in the face. For the first hour of gameplay, you may be wondering if I just made up everything I’ve said about speed and momentum, but after some practice, the game’s qualities will click into place.

Also, this game was a bitch to get working on PC with a controller. I’ll save you the trouble and just tell you to download x360ce and map your controller with it, then you’re good to go.

Let's start with the obvious, and mention that the music in this game is top notch. I can't remember the last time I was literally bumping in my seat listening to a game's audio tracks. This game practically oozes style, and the art style they chose helped the game age surprisingly well. If the gameplay were as great as the audio and visuals, this would be an absolute must-play (and honestly, probably still should be). The momentum of the game can actually be detrimental to your movement and placement in some areas, and the camera controls were often frustrating. Certainly not the best feeling in a game about exploration and finding specific spots. While Jet Grind Radio certainly feels propped up by it's awesome music and visuals, the package as a whole was still enjoyable, and one I would absolutely recommend!

JSR is one of those games that is really tough to get into, but is crazily satisfying when it all clicks.

The cons:
The controls are a bit clunky and seem to go against you some times.
Whose idea was it to assign the spray action and the camera reset action to the same button??
I don't like how you can't do a short hop while going full speed.
You can slide on some walls. Which ones? Just guess.
The way the momentum works is weird. There's no way to gain momentum while sliding, unless you're moving downwards. This is realistic of course, but screw realism. It would've been more fun if you gained some speed while grinding. Also when you jump onto a moving object, you basically gain that object's momentum instead (if that makes any sense). Basically if you jump onto a car going in the opposite direction that you're going and you immediately jump off the roof, you'll go the exact opposite way that you were originally going. Is that how physics work in real life? I don't know, but it feels weird.

The pros:
This is one of those games that hasn't aged a day. Its soundtrack and general aesthetic is candy to both my ears and eyes.
The gameplay is super satisfying when you start to understand how the character movement works. Furthermore, once you get a feel for the the stage layouts you'll get around quicker and more efficiently, while simultaneously pulling off more sick tricks and combos.
The plot was surprisingly entertaining, due to the fact that it goes absolutely bonkers towards the end. Gunning down kids with choppers and tanks because they go around tagging the city? Seems reasonable.

As it stands, Jet Set Radio is a really fun game. I'm glad I played in now, because I'd imagine that I'd have a hard time plowing through it if I'd played its spiritual successor Bomb Rush Cyberfunk first. As such, I can't recommend it to players who expect a flawless game with tight controls. But I gotta give credit to the game for holding up so well all these years later.

the music: 9/10
the graphics: 10/10
the vibe: 11/10
the gameplay: 4/10 on the good levels, and the bad levels are like 0.5/10
wish i could like this one, love it even, but i cant stand actually playing it. had it not been for everything else about it being so outstanding, jet set radio would NOT be remembered so fondly

On the street, there’s no such thing as "The End!"

De fato, não existe um fim quando o assunto é Jet Grind Radio, possivelmente o jogo mais estiloso e prazeroso que alguém pode jogar.

Não existe limite pra diversão dentro dessa obra, cada missão diferente é tão única, divertida e imersiva que o fator rejogabilidade é absurdo, o que pra um jogo desses, significa tudo.

Tendo uma parte de mim que sentia saudade de jogos similares á THPS2, Jet Grind Radio foi um refresco imenso e uma experiência inesquecível.

Favorito instantâneo

Been fascinated with this since I was a kid, and it took until now for me to finally get a Dreamcast and track down a copy. Some of the most clunky controls of all time aside, this is a thrilling feelgood artistic masterpiece and no game (besides Future) has EVER been this full of personality. It also has what I will crown as my favorite video game soundtrack of all time, and singlehandedly got me into hip hop.

Very few games mean as much to me and my development as this and Future. Despite being a chore to control and play sometimes, I love this game and I always will.